Assuagement
by CayStar
Summary: The Volturi may have run from the first confrontation, but they never stopped planning their revenge. Who will comfort Bella when the Cullens pay the ultimate price for their insubordination? Post-BD AU. Bella/Garrett/Tanya, poly and femslash eventually.
1. Chapter 1

_**_**AN: Welcome to my newest vamp fic! I have been having fun with the wolves (and I still am) but I missed my vamps- especially Garrett. Also missed my vamp readers! So, I decided to go ahead and start posting this even thought I'm still writing my Bella/Paul story- Delinquent.**_**_

_**_T_**__**_his is a little different. It takes place ten years after Breaking Dawn (the book, not the movie), so everything in the books actually happened. I have changed some things with Nessie, because to be perfectly honest, the girl creeps me out. I think I have fixed her here. _**_

_**_The chapters will vary in length because I outlined this ahead of time (yes, I planned something- shocking, I know) ;) I plan to update every two weeks or so, until I finish with Delinquent and can devote more attention to this story. First chapter is mostly background info, and then the action picks up pretty quick after that._**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>The Volturi may have run from the first confrontation, but they never stopped planning their revenge. Who will comfort Bella when the Cullens pay the ultimate price for their insubordination? _

* * *

><p>~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~<p>

_**assuage** (verb)  
>1. to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate: <em>to assuage one's grief; to assuage one's pain.  
><em>2. to appease; satisfy; allay: <em>to assuage one's hunger._  
>3. to soothe, calm, or mollify: <em>to assuage his fears; to assuage her anger.

~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~

**_Assuagement_**

**Bella POV  
><strong>"Ugh!" I threw the phone down with an angry huff, barely noticing that it never hit the ground. Tanya's cool fingers slipped between mine to carefully untangle the hair I had fisted in anger. I had forgotten she was still in the house.

"Trouble in paradise?" she asked, smiling at me in friendly amusement as she hopped lithely over the back of the couch to settle beside me.

I accepted her silent offer and leaned my head onto her lap, letting her magical hands work the tension from my body as she played with my hair. I couldn't hold back a snort of laughter as I pictured Edward's face if he could see us now. He was quite vocal in his disapproval of our friendship, though he could never come up with a reason why. I had a feeling it had to do with Tanya's thoughts—she was completely unapologetic about her attraction to me.

Sighing with pleasure, I closed my eyes and let her tender ministrations relax my tongue. "Of course," I said, answering her question. "Edward thinks I have been here too long and I need to come home to my husband, where I belong."

She giggled at my fairly accurate impression of my mate, and tapped me lightly on the nose in rebuke. "Now, Bella, you know he's missing you terribly. Without you there, who is rearranging his music collection, or getting smudges on his piano? Rosalie is probably having to work twice as hard to keep him at his standard level of irritation."

I laughed softly, but her words hit achingly close to home. For the past few years I had felt more and more like an inconvenience to Edward. We hadn't moved away from Forks yet—mostly because of Charlie, and Renesmee's relationship with the pack.

Our daughter spent most of her time at La Push now; she loved spending time with Jacob. I was grateful that their imprint had progressed more like Quil and Claire's, and Jacob had opened his heart to Leah. She was more their daughter than ours these days, and she doted on her younger "siblings," Harry and little Sarah.

Of course, it was also impossible to miss the growing attraction between Nessie and Seth, but I knew that while she was almost fully developed both physically and mentally, she hadn't quite reached maturity on the sexual front. That's where having an overprotective alpha pair as surrogate parents came in handy—Seth would never act inappropriately with Jacob's imprint. Leah would tan his hide.

"Hey." Tanya's voice was softer, and she looked down at me with concern. "I didn't mean to upset you. I heard what Edward said to you. I really wish you wouldn't let him speak to you that way. You're not a child, and you're certainly not inferior in any way. That's just preposterous!"

Edward's jealousy was something I thought we'd seen the last of when I gave myself to him for eternity. Of course, Jacob imprinting on our daughter didn't help, but my best friend did move up in his esteem once he and Leah were married.

No, Edward's jealousy had somehow transferred to _me_. It happened slowly, so that at first I thought I must be imagining things. I mean, we'd survived a showdown with the Volturi, in large part due to my shield. Our family and friends were grateful for my protection, and Edward was initially appeased by my ability to finally share my thoughts with him.

He quickly became obsessed, asking me to lower my shield any time we were talking, and any time I returned home after being away from him. Nessie and Alice did their best to keep him distracted, but it still drove a wedge between us.

Then there were my admirers. Nahuel was almost worshipful around me, both as a mother to a hybrid and as a powerful shield. Of course, he had a vested interest in my daughter as well, not that Jacob would let him around her very often. Their imprint truly was a godsend.

Over the past few years we'd had visits from the Amazon coven, the Egyptian coven (well, Benny and Tia, at least), the Irish coven, and even Alistair. With each visit, Edward grew more possessive and even more arrogant. It was as if he no longer viewed me as a mate, but as a valuable possession.

Alice confided to me that it was his fear that was driving him—he worried that the Volturi would still send an assassin to take me out. The holes in her visions worried him about my future safety.

Just as I was about to answer Tanya, we heard the approaching footsteps of Garrett and Kate. I sat up quickly, knowing we would likely get a ribbing from Kate's affable mate. He loved to tease us about our friendship, begging us for compromising images he could replay for Edward at his earliest opportunity.

They came through the door, still locked in each other's eyes. Kate adored the former nomad-turned-vegetarian, and her love was written all over her face as she gazed up at him from her place at his side.

Garrett's dark orange irises still shone with the evidence of his recent slip in our diet, but, unlike Jasper, he hadn't been banished from the family home in shame. The Denalis bolstered him up and supported him in a way the Cullen family would never understand.

I squeezed Tanya's hand as I thought of my own newborn slip all those years ago. Jasper agreed that the young man I'd killed had absolutely been my singer, and he and Emmett were the only ones understanding of my situation. Edward, ironically, was deeply ashamed of me.

To avoid a problem with the wolves, I'd been sent to Denali until my eyes regained their proper coloring. Tanya was still mourning the loss of her sister, Irina, but she took me under her wing and we gained a bond that is still closer than my 'sisters' or 'mother' back home. Tanya was my mentor, my truest friend and sister. Other than Charlie and Ness, I was pretty sure she was the only person on earth who loved me unconditionally.

"Oh, ho! What do we have here?" Garrett's called out boisterously as they stepped further into the room. "Did we interrupt anything?" His rather bushy eyebrows waggled in exaggerated humor, and I couldn't hold back my answering smile. Garrett could always boost my spirits.

The couch bounced with his weight when he plopped himself down beside me, pulling Kate onto his lap with practiced ease. I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at their easy relationship. They never fought, and they respected each other as equals, despite the fact that Kate was so much older than he.

Sensing the shift in my mood again, Tanya put her arm around me, and I laid my head on her shoulder. I had only been here a week, but I really did miss Edward. Even if he was being a complete ass most of the time.

"I'm sorry, little one. Has your mate called again?" Garrett's hand on my knee was comforting, and Kate reached out to lace her fingers with mine in silent support. She and I had made our peace after the showdown with the Volturi. She enjoyed having a family member other than Garrett who didn't occasionally flinch when she reached for them.

I nodded, and started to recount the conversation that Tanya had overheard, but decided it wouldn't help things. "Maybe he's right. I've had a nice visit, but I should be home with my mate and daughter."

As if I had summoned his call with my words, my phone sounded with the ringtone reserved for my husband. The soothing notes of _Clare de Lune_ filled the quiet of the room, and I stood to leave and take the call in private. I appreciated the Denalis' support, but it was time for me to stand on my own.

"Edward?"

_"Bella, my love. I wanted to apologize for my harsh words earlier. I-"_

"No, Edward. You were right. I was upset about Jasper and Alice leaving, and I have been hiding out here. I'll come home now."

_"NO!" _I had to pull the phone away from my ear at his loud rebuttal. "_No, it's fine, love. I think you were right. You need some space, some time away, like you said." _

His voice sounded strange at the end, and I couldn't decide if he really wanted me to stay or come home. Maybe Carlisle had fussed at him after our last conversation, and he felt like he had to say that. "Edward, I really don't mind. I really was about to call you and tell you I was coming home."

_"Bella, please listen to me. Renesmee is staying the weekend with Jacob, and he said they had a lot of things planned with the Pack. I'm helping Carlisle with some things at work, so I don't want you to rush home when you have friends up there that you're enjoying. Just... have fun, okay?"_

I stood up and began pacing the room, completely thrown by the way this conversation differed from our previous one. I had defended Jasper again, and Edward called me immature and accused me of running away from home like a rebellious adolescent. Needless to say, I hadn't appreciated his tone or callous words.

"Edward, are you sure you're not mad at me? I want to do the right thing here..."

His sigh sounded forlorn, heartbreaking really, and I just wanted to reach through the phone and hold him tight. "_Love, please. This is one of those times I need you to trust me, okay? Stay there, and I promise I'm not angry. I love you so much. 'Plus que ma propre vie...'"_

The line went dead and I stared at my phone in confusion. It wasn't until later that I realized what he'd said. _"More than my own life..."_


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: I know what you're thinking- Alice? What on earth? Well, she's a big part of the story and we need her input. I'll let you decide if she's good or bad this time ;)  
>***WARNING*** There is character death in this chapter, and the next. Lots of it...<br>**_

* * *

><p><strong>Alice POV<strong>  
><em>"Did it work? Is she going to stay?"<em>

I had to blink away my tears as my brother's beautiful voice came through the phone. Jasper held me tighter, but didn't attempt to change my emotions. He always seemed to know when I needed to work through something myself.

"Yes, I see her." God, could I see her. "She'll be just fine, and I think Nessie will too. I'm sorry I can't give you more than that."

_"No, you were right. You knew what I would choose. I trust you, Alice. Love you."_

"I love you too, brother. I'll see you."

The lie rolled off my tongue so easily, probably because it rang true. I had no doubt I would see him. That I would have to watch every gruesome second in intricate detail. Sometimes I really hated my gift.

"I'm sorry, Ali," Jasper whispered as he sent me his apology and guilt. I couldn't hold it against him, though. I gave him the choice knowing what, or _who_, he would pick. He'd known Peter for more than a century. The Cullens were _my_ family. It was no contest. He still hadn't completely forgiven me for putting them at risk after Nessie's birth.

"Don't, Jazzy. This is how it has to be. This is the only way I see to keep you alive, and at the end of the day that's all that matters to me." I turned and tucked my face into his neck, breathing deeply of his scent to calm my shaky control.

He filled me with peace and I selfishly took the moment to relax and ease my mind before the coming carnage. I tried my best to save the ones I could, but the death toll was still going to be agonizingly high. I honestly doubted if Bella would ever forgive me for this.

It didn't matter how I looked at it—if Bella was with Edward they would fight to save each other, but give in when the Volturi got the upper hand. No matter what else happened, I couldn't let Bella fall into Aro's hands. The only way to stop that was to separate them.

There were still more decisions to be made, but so far everything was playing out as expected. The Volturi were arriving simultaneously in two separate planes—one in Seattle, and one in Anchorage. What happened after that depended on how hard everyone fought. I knew that Bella was a deadly force—my mate had trained her after all.

Charlotte and Peter slipped into the room, mirroring our positions in the loveseat across the room. "You ok there, Pix?" Peter's voice was uncharacteristically quiet, and Char was looking at me with undisguised sympathy. I knew we would have no trouble defeating our own small contingent of guards, but our ability to disappear would depend entirely on my brother.

I tensed on Jasper's lap as an unexpected vision hit me. I vaguely heard my mate whisper, "It's starting," before I was lost in a haze of too-clear reality playing out before my eyes.

They only sent three guards to Denali, but Alec personally tortured Eleazar and Carmen before finally giving them death and heading for the others. Everyone gave Jane the bad reputation, but her twin truly was demonic. I grabbed my phone, hoping I wasn't too late when Kate made a last-minute decision to leave the safety of the house.

_"Hey, Alice! What's up?"_ Her voice was calm and happy, but I needed her to listen.

"Kate!" I screeched, trying to convey the urgency I felt with my tone. "Go back to the house! NOW!"

_"Alice? What-"_ My vision showed me the end as her phone fell from her unresponsive hand. This wasn't supposed to happen. This was going to change everything...

I couldn't think any more about Bella's future, because the moment I'd been dreading had arrived. I clenched my eyes shut and pressed my fists against them, trying to block the vision I'd seen in hazy foreshadowing too many times before.

Edward tensed when he heard the approaching thoughts of the guard. After all this time, they still hadn't found another shield like Bella, and so the Volturi were left without the crucial element of surprise.

The five original Cullens met the guard in the forest on the same field they came to before. Edward was front and center, snarling in anger, and it was easy to see the disappointment on Demetri's face when he saw that Bella was not with her mate. They'd all been counting on the two of them being together, since the tracker couldn't get a read on my talented sister.

Edward smirked at the tracker's thoughts, then crumpled over in agony as Jane hit him with her gift. Carlisle and Emmett flew into action, and I felt a swell of pride when Edward picked himself up and moved forward through the pain.

As we had discussed, he threw himself at Demetri, helping Carlisle to quickly end the Volturi's prized bloodhound. Rose and Esme tore Jane apart easily while she was distracted, and Emmett was holding his own with Felix. I felt a brief surge of hope that they might actually come through this unscathed.

That hope was quickly dashed when five more guards came into the clearing. Edward had heard them approach, and quickly threw a match onto Jane and Demetri's dismembered limbs. That was two guards down at least. He'd done what we needed him to do to keep the rest of us safe.

Carlisle flew at Aro's entourage as soon as they came into view. I collapsed in grief as Aro waved Renata aside and grabbed our father with both hands. He had a sinister grin on his deranged face when he finally held Carlisle's head up like some sick hunting trophy.

I was aware of Jasper holding me, and Charlotte's softer hands were on me as well. I collapsed into their hold when everything at home went straight to hell.

Esme and Edward dove toward Aro and his guards with reckless abandon, forgetting every bit of technique they had learned from Jasper over the years. It was nauseating how quickly the Volturi dismembered and burned my family in a systematic extermination. In less than a minute there was nothing left but a smoking field.

Aro and his remaining guards took off toward the sea when Jacob's pack ran into the clearing. I watched him escape, trying to keep track of which guards were disappearing from my vision at the same time. I was ripped from the scene as Aro and Felix jumped into their plane by another more pressing vision.

Jasper threw me behind him as the three Southern War veterans prepared to defend their home and mates from the pitifully small contingent of Volturi guards. I kept one eye in Denali and the other on my mate as the danger was quickly dispatched and the Whitlocks were once again victorious. But at what cost?

**Nessie POV  
><strong>Something was wrong. I wasn't quite sure just exactly what it was, but everyone around me was acting strangely.

My Jake had been on the phone most of the morning, when he wasn't in wolf form, that is. He mostly listened, offering only one-word answers, and whoever he was speaking with was quiet enough that even I couldn't hear.

Leah was quiet. That was strange in and of itself. Leah was never quiet. She always had a sharp retort or firm order for everyone from little Sarah to Quil, to Jake himself. The alpha and chief bowed to no one but his wife and mate.

Seth showed up around ten, then stuck close to my side. He went so far as to hold my hand in the presence of my guardians, and neither of them put up a fuss. That was when I knew something was definitely amiss.

I picked up my phone to call my dad, frowning when it went straight to voicemail. He would never decline my call, unless he was speaking to my mom. That thought brought a smile to my face, and Seth looked at me curiously. I put my phone in my pocket and raised my hand to his cheek, unwilling to voice aloud my secret hope of my parents' marriage reconciling happily.

He gave me a sad smile and patted my hand, but didn't offer his own opinion. He was a good friend to my father, as unlikely as their alliance may be. Of course, my birth had brought about many strange friendships. Mom and Jake, Aunt Rose and Leah, Quil and Uncle Emmett, even Paul and Uncle Jasper had bonded over the years. Grandpa Carlisle says I bring out the best in everyone.

"Ness? You okay?" I leaned into Seth's embrace when he wrapped his arm around me, glancing at Leah out of the corner of my eye.

I didn't use my power as much these days—I'd seen how much it irritated people when my dad and Aunt Alice had their silent conversations. This time I simply didn't have the words to voice my worry, so I once again raised my hand to Seth's face, distracted for a moment by his strong jawline and chiseled cheekbones.

His eyes closed as he watched my thoughts, and his arm tightened around me noticeably. "I'm sorry, Ness. Why don't we turn on the tv and see what's on? That might take your mind off things."

I nodded and followed him up to my room, leaving the door open out of habit. I was surprised when he closed it behind us, but he waved off my questioning look. I could hear Jacob moving around downstairs, but I couldn't hear what he said to Leah before he left the house suddenly in response to a howl from the woods.

Times like this I was frustrated by my lowered abilities. Since I stopped drinking blood, my growth had slowed considerably and my supernatural abilities had been reduced quite a bit. Grandpa Carlisle thought my diet affected me more than my paternity, and that by abstaining from blood I was slowly turning more human. It didn't matter to me either way, and that was a small concession to make for being allowed on the reservation with my other family.

Less than an hour after he left, I heard Jacob come through the front door and say my name softly. Seth didn't hold me back this time as I ran into the living room and stopped dead in my tracks.

Jacob was kneeling on the floor, just inside the front door. He looked weary, as if he had come as far as he was able and couldn't take another step. His large hands were fisted in his hair, tugging painfully as tried to still his shaking body. The sense of dread that had begun to build inside me suddenly washed over me in a huge wave.

"Jake?" I stepped closer to him, hesitant to ask the question I wasn't sure I wanted answered. "What's wrong?"

He kept his head down as he held out his hand, and I allowed myself to be pulled onto his lap like I was still a small child. I glanced up when Seth reached for my other hand, kneeling beside us on the floor.

Leah joined us as well, and I saw Jake's shoulders stiffen when she sat behind him, almost as if she were holding him up. Jacob finally met my eyes and began to speak. "Ness, it's your family..."


	3. Chapter 3

**_AN: Everybody hanging in there? We've had some questions about who is dead and who isn't- those will be answered in coming chapters, including those about the Cullens other allies. We're mostly going to stay with Bella so we'll learn things as she does._**

* * *

><p><strong>Bella POV<br>**"Ok, Bella. Here's your question. 'What country did Siam become?'" Garrett looked at me expectantly, and I once again returned his look with a blank stare.

"Can't we just play scrabble or something? I'm at a serious disadvantage here." I tried to negotiate a change in activity. Fuck Trivial Pursuit. I hated this game. They all knew the answers to these questions, even without their vampire memory. They had lived through all this shit. The game itself was older than I was, and for all I knew the questions were out of date.

"Oh, don't start pouting, B. We put you on a team with Tanya," Kate pointed out oh-so-helpfully. Bitch.

They did this shit on purpose. It was like a game to them—how long will it take for Bella to lose her temper? The Cullens have her trained to be a perfect little doll, but we'll get through her defenses.

It was one of the things that endeared them to me. They were so relaxed with each other, always joking and playing. It was similar to what I had with Emmett, except he and I were always chastised by our mates for being "immature." In a strange way they reminded me of the Pack.

Garrett was like Quil, the constant joker. He could always be counted on for a laugh, and he held the vampire patent on puppy dog eyes. Tanya was Paul, the irrepressible flirt. I had always wondered what the two of them would have done together if they weren't mortal enemies.

Kate was Embry. She was quieter, a bit more serious, but she wouldn't hesitate to play with the rest of them. Eleazar and Carmen were Sam and Emily. Even though Tanya was technically the coven leader, Eleazar was the steady rock the coven could always depend on. Carmen was his quiet support, the "mother" of the group, though she never took her role quite as literally as Esme did.

I looked up to see the three of them watching me curiously. I must have been lost in thought for a while. As I glanced around me, I choked on a sob. "Oh, Bella, what is it?" Tanya was beside me instantly, stroking my hair back from my face as she pulled me into a hug. "What's wrong?"

I relaxed in her embrace, trying to think of a time when Alice or Rose _ever_ voluntarily hugged me. Rose put her arms around me when I was pregnant with Ness, but that was more her living vicariously through me than out of any true affection for me. The Cullens simply weren't that demonstrative.

Looking back at Kate and Garrett, I shook my head. "No, it's nothing. I'm sorry." I squeezed Tanya and then sat back up. "I just feel so at home here. I wish Edward felt that way, but he's always so uncomfortable around all of you. I guess I just wish things were different, that's all."

Garrett clapped his hands together, then started gathering up the game pieces. "Ok, we need a new diversion," he said, always sensitive to mood swings, a helpful talent considering where he lived. "How about Bella's Scrabble suggestion?"

Tanya dropped a light kiss on the top of my head as she flitted out of the room to find the next game. I called after her, "English only!" and smiled as her giggles floated back toward us.

Kate stood and glanced out the front windows. "I wonder where Carmen and Eleazar are? They were only going for a quick hunt."

Garrett followed her gaze and shrugged. "You know how they get sometimes. I'm sure they're fine."

I watched as Kate nodded absently, but her eyes remained focused outside—she was clearly still worried. In tune with his mate, Garrett stepped to her side after he put the game away. He swept her hair off her neck and murmured something softly in her ear, so quietly that even I couldn't hear.

It was so hard not to be jealous of their easy connection. Their relationship was newer even than my own, but they were deeply joined and clearly shared a great love. I couldn't stop my sigh before it became audible, and Tanya was right beside me the next instant. "They're beautiful together, aren't they?" she asked, and I could hear the note of longing in her voice.

I nodded and leaned my head against hers, grateful for her understanding friendship. We watched unashamed as the couple kissed, then Kate turned to us as she stepped away from her mate. "I'm just going to run out and check on them. Get the game set up and we'll be back shortly."

The three of us made our way to the table, and I pulled out my phone while Garrett set the board up and meticulously shuffled the tiles. For a former nomad, he was incredibly fussy at times. Tanya entertained herself by subtly shifting the game board so it wasn't lined up with the table's edges, and nudging the little wooden shelves that held the letter tiles. Garrett would huff and glare at her each time he caught her, but she acted like she hadn't done a thing.

I frowned when I looked down and saw I had missed a call from Ness earlier. It had come in when I was talking to Edward, but I must have been more upset than I realized to have missed her beeping in. I tried calling her back but this time her phone went to voicemail.

My finger hovered over the screen of my phone as I debated whether or not to call Leah and check in with her. I couldn't bother Jake without being teased, and I wasn't sure Leah would be any easier. I finally settled for texting my daughter. _Sorry I missed your call. Love you, Mom_

I had just turned back to the table when Garrett suddenly fell forward, crashing to the floor and taking the game board and pieces with him. I froze in shock as I watched him curl up in agony, clutching his chest as he gasped for breath.

Tanya seemed to snap out of it the same time I did, and we dove for his large frame, trying to discover the source of his pain. I could see nothing physically wrong with him, and my mind immediately made the leap to Jane and how she tortured Edward and then Bree. I covered Garrett with my shield, but it didn't seem to make any difference. I covered Tanya as well, just in case.

"Garrett? What's wrong? What do you need?" Tanya's hands were fluttering uselessly and she was more upset than I'd ever seen her before. A feeling of dread was building in my chest when I suddenly felt a familiar sensation.

I could nearly taste it—a cloying flavor pushing at my shield. I'd only felt it once before, and I looked toward the door to see a fine mist hovering in the house, everywhere my small shield wasn't touching. _Alec._

I started to move my shield out further and warn the others when a sharp pain suddenly had me curling up in the fetal position. I knew this feeling as well—I'd felt a hint of it for months when Edward left me after my eighteenth birthday. The empty feeling of the raw, gaping hole in my chest. This was a thousand times more potent.

With that thought, all the pieces suddenly rushed together in one horrifying realization. Alec's obvious proximity, the missing Denali coven members, the searing pain in my chest coupled with my inability to reach my own family. _The Volturi_.

I lay there, huddled on the floor for another moment, trying to decide what to do. If this pain was any indication, then Garrett and I had both lost our mates. Miles apart, my soul still felt the agony of permanent separation. The Volturi had clearly tired of waiting, and attacked us and our closest allies simultaneously.

I debated for almost a full second just letting them have us. I could pull my shield back, surrender to Alec's anesthesia, and walk blissfully into nothingness. Something told me I wouldn't be that lucky though. If I surrendered, Aro would never let me out of his slimy grasp.

As quickly as the pain came, fury took its place. I pulled myself to my feet, startled to find my companions paralyzed on either side of me. Their features were slack, vacant, and I felt my stomach roll with nausea at the sheer wrongness of it all.

I threw my shield over them, frustrated that I let it fall lax in the first place. They flew to their feet, disoriented, as a red haze covered my vision. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Garrett's hand touch his chest and my own heart ached in response, but we didn't have time for that now.

"No time, Gar. The Volturi are here. This ends now." I spat the words behind me, feeling the tension mount as I pushed my shield out, forcing Alec's mist back through the walls and door. I glanced at Tanya. "Outside or in?"

Her golden eyes were darkening rapidly as she processed the meaning of the Volturi's appearance. I wondered if she had yet realized that they had single-handedly exterminated her entire coven, save Garrett. The women she had been with for more than a thousand years had all been killed at the whim of those phony kings.

"Outside."

Garrett grabbed our hands as we started forward, and I faltered briefly as I caught his bewildered look. He was still in denial, and I needed him angry. I just wasn't sure how to push him there. I had relegated my own pain to the back corners of my mind, knowing we had little time left to fight.

"Garrett!" I barked the word out trying my best to imitate Jasper's soldier-persona tone of voice. I was only slightly surprised when he straightened up and looked at me expectantly. "Outside, _now._ We fight first, and then we can talk."

He moved to stand in front of us, so at least his instincts were working, even if his mind was a mess. I pushed my shield out ahead of us, wondering if I could force Alec's mist back to use against the Volturi guards.

Tanya stopped us at the door and squeezed our hands. She mouthed _be safe_ to us, then nodded to Garrett to open the door. As soon as he stepped forward, there were two guards flying toward him. They jumped him at the same time and I couldn't even see who he was fighting before Alec was in my face.

Tanya went to help Garrett as I faced down one of the witch twins. "You weren't supposed to be here, Shield," he snarled, tossing his fancy cloak to the side as he sized me up. "You're supposed to be burning in Washington with your weak little _mate_."

The red haze in my vision took on a black tint at the edges. All my attention was focused on the demon in front of me, even as I listened to the sounds of the fight around me. I nearly looked away when Tanya let out a pained cry, but I knew I couldn't help her if I let Alec get the upper hand.

We circled each other looking for an opening, when Garrett suddenly gave me one. He threw the leg of the guard he was fighting and Alec had to jump to avoid it. I pounced on him, focused on the training I'd had from both Garrett and Jasper over the past few years.

Edward didn't like me fighting, but I had never been more grateful that I learned. My movements were fast and purposeful—each jab quick as a cobra strike. I had long since lost my newborn strength, and my smaller size wasn't much of an advantage against Alec since he was only an inch or so taller than me.

We were matched fairly evenly. My left bicep burned with the sing of his bite, but I had left three on him already, and his right arm was dangling precariously. As he charged toward me again I pulled out one of Jasper's 'trick' moves and dropped to the ground to slide between his legs. I was up instantly behind him, with my teeth latched into his neck before he had time to counter my attack.

His age gave him strength, and he struggled valiantly, snapping his teeth into my right forearm as I held his head in place. The taste of his venom gagged me as I bit deeply into his neck and pulled, finally releasing his head from his body.

I quickly removed his other limbs, spreading the pieces out as I turned back to see how my allies were faring. Garrett was stacking the pieces of the Volturi guards into a pile, and I watched his face warily as he dropped a lighter on them. He took one step in the direction of the flames and I was on him.

I tackled him backwards and locked my arm under his chin when he growled at me. "Don't even think about it," I snarled, snapping my teeth in his face. "Tanya needs us."

His eyes were instantly remorseful and I let him turn his head toward our fallen sister. Tanya was curled in the snow, her strawberry blonde hair a pale pink shadow against the glaring white.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN: Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I survived- an impressive feat with four kids and mine and hubby's extended families. Seriously...**_

_**Anyway, here's the next chapter, and I just want to say before anyone asks- no, these three will not immediately jump into bed together. No matter what happens in this chapter.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Bella POV<br>**When I was sure that Garrett wouldn't try to throw himself into the fire again, I made my way over to Tanya to see how badly she was hurt. From a distance it didn't seem too bad, but the fact that she wasn't moving had me worried.

Stepping closer, I realized that her right arm wasn't bent as I thought it was—it was completely torn away. Similarly, her left leg was detached at the knee, appearing to lie where it had fallen.

I was scared to touch her, but I knew the only way to help her was to cause her more pain. "Tanya?" I asked softly, reaching up to brush a few strands of hair out of her face. What I saw made me jerk my hand back, and my panicked tone of voice finally broke through to Garrett when I called him.

Tanya's long, slender neck was twisted at an unnatural angle, and the skin was only attached on one side. Her eyes were clenched tight with pain, and at the look in Garrett's eyes I knew this was serious.

A shiver worked its way through me as a hazy human memory came to mind. Curly hair—a much darker red than Tanya's soft strawberry blonde—splayed out on the snow with a gaping wound at the neck. This was eerily similar to the time when Edward killed Victoria.

Just thinking his name brought the pain in my chest back into focus, and I cried out as I clawed at my skin. How could I live like this? I barely survived the first time, when I was still human, and that was before I understood what being mated truly meant. I didn't even want to try this time.

My eyes flew open when Garrett grabbed my shoulders and shook me roughly. He was glaring at me and growling while Tanya lay still between us. "Get it together, Bella! We don't have time for that. Now, you didn't give me the courtesy of letting me step into the fire, so consider this me returning the favor."

Shame filled me at my selfishness, and a wave of hope brushed through me as I reached up to finger the small locket that held a lock of Nessie's hair. I hoped that the wolves were able to protect my daughter, but if she had been captured then I would need my strength. I pulled away and nodded at Garrett to let him know I was back under control.

Tanya couldn't hold back a moan as he gently lifted her enough to position her missing and pieces back where they belonged, then began to slowly maneuver her head into place. I held my breath as she grimaced, knowing that she must be in unimaginable pain.

"She'll need venom," Garrett spoke quietly, with no inflection in his deep voice. "I'll hold her head steady if you can tend to her neck. Be sure there's no dirt or snow left in the wounds before you seal them."

Taking a deep breath, I tried not to think about what I was about to do. While I had never lost a limb, Jasper had described the experience to me in more detail than Edward would have liked. He said that reattachment was the worst part—as venom worked to heal the body, much in the same way it did during the change. And I did remember my change.

Brushing Tanya's hair out of the way, I pressed a light kiss to her temple and breathed an apology in her ear before getting started. The skin of her neck was torn with rough, jagged edges. I used my breath to gently blow out microscopic dust particles before allowing the venom to pool in my mouth.

Tanya flinched when my tongue met her skin, but I watched in awe as her tissues began to knit together with my venom acting as glue. I moved methodically around the circumference of her neck, waiting for Garrett to lift her up so I could reach the back.

Once her wound was coated and I could see a thick scar beginning to form, I sat back and cradled Tanya's head in my lap as Garrett went to work on her arms and legs. She seemed to relax a bit as I combed through her tangled curls, and I cringed every time she did as Garrett worked methodically to piece her back together.

My eyes were drawn to the fire that was slowly burning down. I replayed my memory of the fight and realized the Volturi truly didn't expect me to be here. They only sent Afton and Santiago along with Alec, thinking he'd be able to subdue the entire Denali coven with ease.

Garrett finished with Tanya and sat back away from us a bit, his head hanging down over his bent knees. Tanya had curled on her side with her head facing my stomach, and I put my hand on her back when she began to cry.

As if her tearless sobs had opened a gate, I saw Garrett's hands clutching his hair as his shoulders moved in a jerky rhythm. I couldn't hear his gasping breaths over the sound of my own scream of absolute agony.

I wept for my own family, whose fate I still didn't know. I wept for my daughter, who would never be the same, even if she had somehow survived. Her father was gone, and her mother was as good as destroyed. I wept for my extended family, for Carmen and Eleazar who had loved me as their own, and welcomed me into their home.

I lowered my head and wept for Tanya. She was once the leader of a powerful coven, and now every one of them had been destroyed by the same villains. The Volturi systematically eliminated everyone she was tied to by venom, all for the sake of their own power.

When Garrett collapsed onto his side, I pulled Tanya along with me and we huddled next to him, trying to both give and draw comfort at the same time. It felt like nothing could assuage this unspeakable grief. We clung to each other just to remind ourselves we weren't alone.

We stayed in the snow for hours, until the fire from the battle was cold and the ashes of our enemies began to scatter on the breeze. Garrett and I sat up, seeming to realize the same thing at once. We ran for the house, leaving Tanya stunned, and scrounged around for three empty vases.

I let Garrett lead the way, knowing he would want time alone with Kate once we found her, and I carried Tanya as we made our way carefully through the familiar woods that suddenly seemed dark and sinister.

Kate's funeral pyre was the first one we reached, less than half a mile from the house. They must have been waiting when she ran out to check on the others, and I could only hope that they gave her the slight mercy of Alec's gift before destroying her.

Garrett hit his knees, bowing his head as he appeared to say a prayer over her ashes. His large hands worked reverently, gathering the remains of his beloved mate and placing her safely into the simple ceramic container. A lump filled my throat as I wondered if there was anyone left to save Edward's ashes for me.

Tanya's hand on my cheek brought me back to the task at hand, and I knew by looking at her I would have to hunt while we were out here as well. She needed blood to finish healing, and she was clearly too weak to hunt for herself.

We didn't speak as I followed the Volturi's scent trail, knowing it would lead us straight to where Carmen and Eleazar met their demise. I kept my shield spread wide, making sure no one else would sneak up on us this time. We couldn't afford to drop our guard now.

I set Tanya down carefully in the previously picturesque clearing. There were clear signs of a scuffle, so Alec must have held off on his gift until Eleazar could see who was coming for them. I felt a surge of pride in the fact that I had ended his evil existence.

Tanya was uncharacteristically stoic as she gathered the couple's combined ashes into the larger of the two urns I'd brought. She placed the lid on carefully and set it aside, then shocked me by taking the empty vase and throwing it hard into a tree as she let out an agonizing, primal scream.

I remained frozen as she expressed her fury at the situation, only moving to help when she began to collapse, her remaining strength gone. I helped her sit against a tree, then knelt to catch her eye.

"Will you let me hunt for you, Tanya?"

She nodded, looking away as I stood to go. I turned back when her hand caught mine, feeling almost as weak as a human. "Just– Just be careful, Bella. Please?" Her black eyes looked suddenly ancient, filled with pain and sorrow.

I hugged her as carefully as I could, then sprinted away to find her a meal. I didn't have time to be picky, and I thought she would be thirsty enough that she wouldn't care either. I stumbled upon a moose and a few caribou drinking from a stream, and quickly dispatched them with a blow to the head. Not wanting to put Tanya at risk, I drank one caribou to soothe my thirst, then carried the moose and another caribou back to where she was waiting.

The smaller deer was easier to manage, so I left the moose and brought the deer to Tanya. We had hunted together before, so I didn't think she would take a snap at me, but I was still cautious as I held the animal's neck to her mouth in offering.

She barely had the strength to bite through the tough fur and hide, but once she began to drink I could see her weakness begin to fade. Her eyes popped open as the blood ran out, and she let me take the deer and set it aside.

I held her gaze, feeling somewhat trapped as I repeated the process with the larger moose, though I had to stand above her and hold the large antlers out of the way. As she fed, her eyes grew darker instead of lighter, and I found myself unable to look away.

The moose fell to the ground and my eyes dropped to her mouth, where a single stray drop of blood had trickled over her plump lower lip. I stared, entranced, as her pale tongue reached out excruciatingly slowly to dip down and capture it, and I wondered what that blood would taste like mixed with the unique flavor of her mouth.

"Tanya! Enough!" Garrett's voice whipped out harshly as he spun me around and pulled my face to his chest. "This is not the appropriate time for that, and I _know _you can control yourself better."

Away from her eyes, I felt as if a fog lifted from my brain, similar to the times when I was human and Edward would dazzle me—both intentionally and unintentionally. As I regained my senses I felt slightly faint, and I understood why Garrett was supporting me.

A choked sob sounded from behind me, but when I tried to turn and look at Tanya, Garrett held me firmly in place. "No, little one. You can't look at her right now. Not until she has herself under control."

I glanced up to see him looking down at me, his eyes heavy with grief and a touch of righteous anger. I still didn't understand what had happened, but I did know that Tanya was upset.

"I am so sorry, Bella. I truly did not mean to, but the thirst and my grief made it difficult." Her voice was quiet, and I could almost feel the shame dripping off her words. I stared at Garrett, still not comprehending.

With a deep sigh, he led me over to where Tanya was still seated, though her knees were now pulled tight against her chest and her face was down, hidden from view. He sat beside her, putting one arm around her, and pulled me down to sit at his other side.

"I suppose the sisters' history was something else you were never told?" Garrett asked, settling into his melodic storytelling voice, though I could still hear the strain that I could feel in my own chest. He was trying to distract himself.

"The girls all share–" he stopped and coughed, seeming to choke on his words before he continued, "–_shared_ a gift. They have the power of the succubus." That word triggered a vague memory from before my change, but I let him continue speaking because I didn't remember the details.

"For Tanya, the need for, um, sexual…_gratification_…is almost as great as her need for blood," he explained, and I glanced over to see that he had pulled Tanya up so that her head rested on his chest as his hand moved in a soothing motion down her arm. Just that small amount of physical comfort seemed to relax her.

"You've seen hints of it, whether you knew it or not, in the way she is constantly touching, needing to be touched. Today she turned her full power on you, and apparently it is one that not even your handy little shield can deflect." When I still looked confused, he sighed. "She was seducing you."

The heat of embarrassment immediately washed through me, followed by a round of anger that I fought to suppress. No wonder Garrett was upset. I stood abruptly, waving off their protests, and headed for the house.

"I need some space. I need to try to reach _my_ family, and then I need to go _home_."


End file.
